Private sharing of computer resources over an internetwork

ABSTRACT

A data call between at least two internetworked computers is established using a central server. Once the data call is in place, any types of data, information, or computer resources are shared between the two computers, regardless of protocol or data format, by creating a virtual server on one user&#39;s computer for serving the shared information simultaneously to both users as clients of the virtual server.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part of pending U.S.application Ser. No. 10/033,813, filed Jan. 3, 2002 entitled “TelephonicAddressing For Establishing Simultaneous Voice and Computer NetworkConnections”, which is a continuation-in-part of prior U.S. applicationSer. No. 09/978,616, filed Oct. 16, 2001, entitled “Video Telephony,”now U.S. Pat. No. 6,545,697. This application is further related to U.S.applications Ser. No. 10/058,517, entitled “Obtaining On-Demand Goodsand Services Using Video Telephony”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,407; Ser.No. 10/058,882, entitled “Sharing of Prerecorded Motion Video Over anInternetwork”; and Ser. No. 10/058,886. “Coordination of Video SessionsWhen Calling an Auto-Attendant System,” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,693,662, allincorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to establishing a communication sessionbetween users connected to a computer network in order to shareresources privately between the users.

Internetworking (i.e., the interconnection of many computer networks)allows the interaction of very large numbers of computers and computerusers. The most well known example is the Internet. Computers connectedto the Internet may be widely separated geographically and utilize manydifferent hardware and software configurations. In order to achievecommunication sessions between any two endpoints on the Internet, anaddressing system and various standard protocols for exchanging computerdata packets have been developed.

2. Description of the Related Art

Each packet sent over the Internet includes fields that specify thesource and destination address of the packet according to InternetProtocol (IP) addresses assigned to the network interface nodesinvolved. Currently assigned addresses comprise 32 bits, although futurestandards allow for 128 bit addresses. The 32 bit addresses are normallywritten by breaking the 32 bits into 4 groups of 8 bits each and writingthe decimal equivalents of each group separated by periods (e.g.,208.25.106.10).

Since numerical IP addresses are inconvenient to use and remember, aprotocol for assigning and accessing logical names is used known as thedomain name system (DNS). DNS servers are deployed within the Internetwhich perform a translation function between a logical domain name suchas “sprint.com” and its numerical equivalent “1208.25.106.10”. Afterreceiving an IP address back from a DNS server, a computer can forwarddata packets to the IP address and establish a connection or sessionwith the remote computer.

While the DNS system works well for hosted content (e.g., material madeavailable for browsing by commercial and private entities), it is notwell suited to ad hoc communications or exchanges of data betweenindividuals. Hosting a website and registering an IP address within theDNS system is expensive and time consuming. Furthermore, due to animpending shortage of IP addresses and the cost for maintaining use ofeach IP address, many Internet service providers assign IP addressesdynamically to their individual users. In other words, when a user signson to their service, they are temporarily assigned an IP address from anaddress pool assigned to their service provider. The user occupies thatIP address only for their current session.

Even when individual users have their own static IP addresses, and whenother users can remember the IP address of a user with whom they wouldlike to establish a connection session over the Internet (e.g., forvoice or video telephony), the need to configure their hardware orsoftware is too complex for many users. This is one reason why e-mail issuch a popular and successful Internet application. A mail server withan easy to remember domain name acts as intermediary between twoindividual users. Using a simple application program and the recipient'saccount name on the mail server (i.e., their e-mail address), textmessages and computer files can be exchanged. The exchange, however,does not allow the users to interact in real time. Thus, there is a needfor a way to allow two or more individual users to establish interactiveconnection sessions over the Internet without requiring overt knowledgeof the other's IP address and without complicated configurations orset-ups.

Copending applications U.S. Ser. No. 09/978,616 and U.S. Ser. No.10/033,813 teach the use of a central server allowing two or moreindividual users to establish interactive connection sessions over theInternet without requiring overt knowledge of the other's IP address andwithout complicated configurations or set-ups. Each user registers withthe central server, resulting in a database of users and their currentIP addresses. A calling user sends a request to the central server toestablish a connection with a called user. The central server can eitherrelay all network message packets between the users for the duration ofa “call”, or it may provide the IP addresses to the users so that theycan exchange packets directly. The called user may be identified withinthe database by information well known or easily discovered by otherusers, such as their telephone number. A telephone call may beestablished simultaneously with establishing the computer networksession, thereby enhancing the user interaction regardless of the typeof computer data to be exchanged (e.g., video frames, computer files,etc.). In one embodiment, the computer network session is automaticallyestablished in response to the act of dialing the called user'stelephone number.

The functions of identifying the called telephone number, forwarding acall request to the central server, and conducting a packet exchangeduring a data call are performed by a specific software applicationprogram referred to herein as a call client. A particular call clientmay include provision for exchanging certain types of data forpreselected purposes and according to predefined protocols. Sharingother types of data or other types of computer resources between theusers may exceed the capabilities of any particular call client. Thus,it would be desirable to share such computer resources independently ofthe call client.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention facilitates greater sharing of information,regardless of protocol or data format, by creating a virtual server onone user's computer for serving the shared information simultaneously toboth users as clients of the virtual server.

In one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for privatelysharing served resources between first and second computers connected toan internetwork for exchanging network packets therebetween, wherein theserved resources reside in the first computer, and wherein each of thecomputers has a respective private IP address within the internetwork. Acentral server coupled to the internetwork contains a database of IPaddresses of registered computers. Call clients run (i.e., are executed)in each of the first and second computers for establishing a data callbetween the first and second computers in response to the database of IPaddresses. A request for sharing the served resources is generatedwithin the first or second computer. A server application runs in thefirst computer for hosting the served resources. Client applications runin the first and second computers for retrieving the served resourcesfrom the server application simultaneously. The server application andthe client application running in the second computer exchange networkpackets in response to the IP addresses used by the call clients.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the interconnection of users over theInternet to the central server of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a user connection model of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of the establishment of a data call used in thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of packet flow fora data call.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of packet flow fora data call.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the elements within each computer foraccomplishing the sharing of resources between the computers.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the elements of the computer hostingthe shared resources in greater detail.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the elements of the remote computeraccessing the shared resources in greater detail.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing preferred embodiments for establishing theprivate sharing of computer resources between network users.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a plurality of user computers 10, 11, and 12, and acentral server 13 are internetworked via the Internet 14. A plurality ofrouters 15 within Internet 14 direct packets between various endpointsor nodes. Computers 10 and 11 are shown as being connected to Internetrouters belonging to Internet Service Providers (ISP's) 16 and 17,respectively. The connections to the ISP's may be by dial-up, digitalsubscriber line (DSL), cable modem, or integrated access device (IAD),for example. Central server 13 and computer 12 are shown directlyconnected to a router.

Network communication comprises data messages or packets transferredbetween separate endpoints, such as between computers 10, 11, or 12 (asclients) and central server 13. The packet transfer is accomplished byrouters 15 using the IP addresses contained in each packet. Centralserver 13 typically has a fixed IP address that is listed on the DNSservers accessible to each computer. Each computer user can easilycommunicate with central server 13 by supplying its logical name (e.g.,www.sprint.exchange.com) which is automatically resolved by theirbrowser into an IP address by consulting a DNS server. Exchangingpackets between users 10, 11, and 12 themselves cannot usually beaccomplished in the same way because the users and their IP addressesare not listed in the DNS system. Furthermore, users 10, 11, and 12 maynot wish to allow remote access into their computers except in certaincircumstances.

The present invention facilitates exchanging data messages between twoindividual users by providing a specialized directory or look-up withincentral sever 13. As shown in FIG. 2, the present invention may be usedwithin a system that functions to simultaneously establish a voicetelephone call between the two individual computer users. In certainembodiments, the voice call serves as the user action that initiates thecomputer processing to establish the computer-to-computer connection. Inaddition, the voice call provides a way to alert the called party of therequest to establish the computer connection and then serves to enhancethe interaction between the two users during the exchange of computerdata. However, the present invention also provides other methods forinitiating the computer processing, and a simultaneous voice telephonecall is not necessary in the present invention.

Regarding the embodiment with a simultaneous voice telephone call inFIG. 2, computers 10 and 11 have associated telephones 18 and 19 used bythe same respective users. The computers and telephones may be fixedinstallations (e.g., in a residence or a business office) or may bemobile devices (e.g., laptop computer and cellular phone), as long asboth are accessible to each user at the same time. The telephones areconnected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) 20. Centralserver 13 provides a user look-up and interconnecting service forregistered users. For security and/or billing purposes, access to theservice preferably is tied to user ID's and passwords. A user may begiven an ID and password with initial sign-up for the service. Each userwould manually configure the telephone number that they want to beassociated with. When the user is “on-line” (i.e., has their computerturned on and connected to Internet 14), their computer sends aregistration message to central server 13 to notify it that the user isavailable. Central server 13 can inspect the registration message todetermine the current IP address and port number at which the userresides for its current connection session. Alternatively, the user maymanually configure their IP address in some circumstances. Uponregistration, central server 13 may preferably determine whether theuser has a respective firewall as described in copending U.S.application Ser. No. 10/034,012. In any case, central server 13 containsa database of currently active, registered users. Each user entry in thedatabase includes fields for user ID, password, telephone number, and IPaddress (including port number), user status, and a firewall flag, forexample.

In the connection model of FIG. 2, a user #1 dials telephone 18 to makea voice call to a user #2 at telephone 19. The telephone number dialedby user #1 is captured as a target telephone identifier number and sentto a call client (i.e., an application program for managing the datacall) in computer 10 being used by user #1. Computer 10 forwards thetarget telephone number to central server 13 as part of an accessrequest for establishing a connection with user #2. Central server 13looks up the target number in its database. When it finds the targetnumber, central server 13 identifies the IP address associated with user#2 and sends an initiation message to computer 11 being used by user #2.When computer 11 receives the initiation message, it launches its owncall client. The initiation message may identify user #1 (preferably byboth telephone number and user ID) and the type of data to be exchanged(i.e., the application program or how the call client should beconfigured to receive the data). User #2 answers the telephone voicecall and learns that an initiation message was sent to their computer.Using computer 11, user #2 can verify the calling party as user #1 andcan indicate whether they accept the computer network connection (i.e.,the data call) with user #1. Once user #2 accepts, data messages can beexchanged between the call client application programs running oncomputers 10 and 11. The call client application programs can be writtento perform file transfers of various types of files, video data orframes for video telephony, or other real-time data or control signals.It may also be desired by a user to share computer data or othercomputer resources besides the data or file types that have beenprogrammed into the call clients, as described below.

The sequence of events occurring to establish a data call is shown ingreater detail in FIG. 3, in which user #1 events are in the leftcolumn, central server events in the center column, and user #2 eventsin the right column. In step 21, user #1 invokes the real-timeinterconnection service of the present invention. This can be configuredas part of the normal start-up of their computer or can result frommanually launching a software application such as the call client afterstart-up has finished. When the service is invoked by user #1, aregistration message is sent to the central server in step 22. Theregistration message preferably includes the user ID and passwordassigned to user #1. In addition, the application software that createsthe registration message may also determine the local IP address beingused by the computer and includes this as data within the registrationmessage. The registration message would typically also include thetelephone number being used by user #1. In addition to the IP addressbeing explicitly added to the message by the application program foruser #1, the IP address (and port number) is typically embedded in eachpacket forwarded by the network and the central server preferablyextracts the automatically embedded IP address and port number. In step23, the central server receives the registration message and adds thenew user to the database or updates the user status, as necessary.

Separately, user #2 invokes the real-time interconnection service instep 24. User #2 sends a registration message in step 25, and thecentral server receives the registration message and adds user #2 to thedatabase or updates the user status, as necessary. Thereafter, thecentral server may periodically exchange further messages with eachregistered user to keep the user status current and to maintain an opensession with each user, for example. When a user shuts down theirapplication program or their computer, an unregister message (not shown)may also be sent to the central server.

During the time that user #1 is on-line, user #1 desires to exchangecomputer data with user #2. In step 27, user #1 initiates an attempt tocontact user #2 and set up the data exchange. In a preferred embodiment,user #1 may identify user #2 by virtue of user #2's telephone number.This target telephone number may preferably be captured from the act ofdialing it on user #1's telephone equipment. According to one example, adedicated module may be connected to user #1's telephone to detect theDTMF tones while dialing and to send the dialed number to user #1'scomputer. The target telephone number for user #2 is included in anaccess request message sent to the central server in step 28.

In step 30, the central server looks up the target telephone number andgets the IP address (and port number) associated with user #2. Theinitiation message is sent by the central server in step 31.

User #2 receives the initiation message in step 32. If not alreadyrunning, the user #2 computer launches the appropriate call clientapplication for responding to the initiation message and then promptsuser #2 to either accept or reject the access request. If rejected, thenuser #2 generates a reject message in step 33 and sends it to thecentral server. In step 34, the central server forwards the rejectmessage to user #1, which then terminates the data portion of theattempted communication session in step 35 (the voice telephone call isaccepted, rejected, or terminated separately).

If user #2 accepts the attempted contact and the request for dataexchange, then user #2 causes their computer to generate an acceptmessage in step 36 (e.g., by clicking an “accept” button in anapplication interface of the call client) and sends it to the centralserver. In step 37, the central server determines any neededconfigurations for accomplishing the data exchange and then configuresthe user #1 and user #2 endpoints in step 38. The two mainconfigurations for the data exchange will be described in connectionwith FIGS. 4 and 5 and are selected on the basis of detected firewalls,for example. The user #1 and user #2 computers accept the configurationand then begin to exchange the data messages or packets in step 39.Other configuration issues, such as the configuration of the clientapplication programs exchanging the actual data messages can be handledwithin the access request message, the initiation message, the acceptmessage, and/or other packets exchanged between the endpoints, forexample.

A first packet exchange configuration is shown in FIG. 4 wherein centralserver 13 performs a relay function such that all packets exchangedbetween computer 10 and computer 11 pass through central server 13. Inother words, after a desired user (called party) accepts the data calland central server notifies the first user (calling party) of theacceptance, both endpoints continue to address their sent packets tocentral server 13. At central server 13, each packet is redirected bysubstitution of IP addresses. For example, a packet sent from computer10 including its own IP address as the source address of the packet andthe IP address of central server 13 as the destination address of thepacket is modified after being received by central server 13 to have thecentral server's address as its source address and to have the IPaddress of computer 11 as its destination address. After modification,central server 13 sends the packet back to its router and on to computer11. The same operations are used to send packets from computer 11 tocomputer 10. The embodiment of FIG. 4 has the advantage that greaterprivacy of a user's IP address is maintained since each user's computeronly needs to see the IP address of central server 13. Furthermore, thisconfiguration can readily function in the presence of network addresstranslation (NAT) firewalls at the endpoints.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative configuration in which direct packetexchange between computers 10 and 11 is realized. Central server 13provides a look-up function and a connection initiation function. Ifdesired user #2 (called party) accepts a data call, then central server13 provides the IP address of computer 11 to computer 10 and providesthe IP address of computer 10 to computer 11. Thereafter, each computercan send packets addressed to the other computer and the packets are nolonger relayed through central server 13. This embodiment has theadvantage that central server 13 may be reduced in size since lesstraffic flows through it.

The use of either connection method of FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 is transparentto the users. Once either type of data call is established and the callclients are exchanging data messages over the internetwork, the sharingof computer resources is expanded beyond the functionality of the callclients as shown in FIG. 6.

Computer 10 includes a network interface 40 and a call client 41performing the functions already described. Computer 10 runs a serverapplication 42 for hosting a shared resource 43 such as a particularaudio or video media, html pages, or a database, for example. Inaddition, computer 10 runs a client application 44 which is designed toaccess or otherwise interact with or display shared resource 43. A userinterface 45 may, for example, include operating system software andinput/output devices (e.g. monitor, mouse, and keyboard) by which a userinteracts with (e.g., provides user commands to) call client 41, serverapplication 42, and client application 44.

Similarly, computer 11 includes a network interface 50, a call client51, a client application 52, and a user interface 53 for remotelyaccessing shared resource 43 via Internet 14.

FIG. 7 shows the operation of computer 10 for serving the sharedresource between both computers in greater detail. In establishing thedata call (e.g., a video telephony call), call client 41 creates anetwork session 46 between itself (as referenced within computer 10 bythe local IP address of computer 10 and the port address used by callclient 41) and, depending upon the connection mode, either centralserver 13 or remote computer 11 (as referenced within computer 10 by aremote IP address and port address which were provided by central server13). Using conventional network protocols, data is exchanged betweencomputers 10 and 11. In a preferred embodiment in which call client 41establishes a video telephony call, the one-way or two-way video data ispassed between session 46 and video software 47. Video software 47processes video from a video camera and forwards it to session 46. Videosoftware 47 also processes remote video data received from session 46and feeds it to a display interface within the overall user interface.

A user command is generated within the user interface to request thesharing of computer resources other than that within the functionalityof call client 41 (e.g., a user mouse clicks a program launcher for thedesired resource). Server application 42 and client application 44 arelaunched if not already active. One example of a resource shared in thismanner is streaming of compressed, prerecorded video as described incopending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/058,882. Client application 44uses the data or other shared resource in the manner desired by theuser, and server application 42 serves the shared data or other resourcesimultaneously to the local user and one or more remote users. Thus,server application 42 creates a remote session 48 for exchanging networkpackets with the remote user (e.g., via central server 13) and a localsession 49 for communicating with client application 44.

Local session 49 utilizes the local port numbers of the two applicationsfor communicating the data or other resource between served resource 43and client application 44. Remote session 48 obtains remote sessionaddress and port information from session 46 in call client 41. Forexample, when creating remote session 48, server application 42 mayissue a request via the operating system/user interface to call client41 for the IP address and port address for the remote call client in theremote computer. Call client reports this session information to serverapplication 42 which then establishes its remote session 48 in one oftwo ways. In a first method, a separate network session is created bysending an initiation message to remote computer 11. In the initiationmessage, server application 42 provides its distinct port address ratherthan the port address of call client 41. Thus, call client 41 and serverapplication 42 can communicate with the remote user in parallel. In asecond method, call client 41 either terminates or goes into hibernationand server application 42 takes over the existing network session. Inother words, server application 42 assumes the port address used by callclient 41 in the existing session and no new initiation message is sent.

FIG. 8 shows remote computer 11 where the shared resource does notreside. In response to the request for sharing the resource, clientapplication 52 is launched if not already running. A session 56 obtainsremote IP address and port address information of computer 10 andcreates or accepts a network session as described above. Datautilization software 57 exchanges data with the remote serverapplication via session 56.

The overall method of the present invention is shown in FIG. 9. In step60, multiple users sign-on or register with the central server. Acalling user launches their call client on their computer in step 61.Preferably, the calling user makes a telephone call to the called user,and the act of dialing the telephone number may send a signal to thecomputer for automatically launching the call client if it is notalready running. Alternatively, no telephone call is necessary and thecalling user may enter a telephone number or other identifyinginformation of the called user into the call client. In step 62, thephone number or other identifying information is sent to the centralserver and a data call is established with the called user.

In step 63, either user initiates a request via their user interface forsharing of resources not accessible to the call clients. If the requestis initiated by the user that is remote from the shared resources, thentheir call client forwards the request.

The server application is launched on the computer where the sharedresources reside in step 64. In step 65, both computers launchappropriate client applications for accessing the served data from theserver application, such as a media player or a browser.

In step 66, one or both call clients report IP addresses and portaddresses of the other computers to the server application and/or theclient application(s). For example, the remote IP address used in thecall client of the computer where the shared resource resides isreported to the server application. Also, the remote IP address used inthe call client of the computer not containing the shared resource isreported to the client application running in that computer.

Based on the reported IP addresses and ports, the network sessionbetween the server application and the client application of the remotecomputer follows either one of two methods as shown in FIG. 9. In step67, a second session between the two computers is created by means ofeither the server application or the remote client application sending asession initiation message to the other using the existing IP addressinformation but using a new port address for the originationapplication. A new port address for the other application can beidentified in a response to the session initiation message.Alternatively, both call clients either terminate or hibernate in step68. In step 69, the server application and the remote client applicationuse the existing session's IP addresses and ports. In step 70, bothclient applications interact with the server application in order toaccess the shared resource simultaneously.

While the present invention has been described with respect to two userssharing a particular resource, the invention also contemplates thatthree or more users could simultaneously share a resource or participatein a video telephony call. In that case, the server application wouldmulticast to each of the remote computers, for example.

1. A method of privately sharing served resources between first andsecond computers connected to an internetwork for exchanging networkpackets therebetween, wherein said served resources reside in said firstcomputer, and wherein each of said computers has a respective private IPaddress within said internetwork, said method comprising the steps of:maintaining a central server coupled to said internetwork and containinga database of IP addresses of registered computers; running call clientsin each of said first and second computers for establishing a data callbetween said first and second computers in response to said database ofIP addresses; generating within said first or second computer a requestfor sharing said served resources; running a server application in saidfirst computer for hosting said served resources; and running clientapplications in said first and second computers for retrieving saidserved resources from said server application simultaneously; whereinsaid server application and said client application running in saidsecond computer exchange network packets in response to said IPaddresses used by said call clients.
 2. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid IP address used in said call client of said first computer isreported to said server application and wherein said server applicationsends a session initiation message to said client application running onsaid second computer.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said IP addressused in said call client of said second computer is reported to saidclient application running in said second computer and wherein saidclient application running in said second computer sends a sessioninitiation message to said server application.
 4. The method of claim 1wherein said server application exchanges network packets with saidclient application running in said second computer using a networksession already established for said data call.
 5. The method of claim 4wherein said call clients terminate operation during said exchangebetween said server application and said client application running insaid second computer.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said request forsharing said served resources causes launching of said serverapplication and said client applications.
 7. The method of claim 1further comprising the steps of: originating a voice telephone callbetween users of said first and second computers in response to a targettelephone number; and transmitting said target telephone number to saidcentral server for determining one of said IP addresses.
 8. Computerapparatus for privately sharing served resources residing in saidcomputer apparatus with a remote computer via an internetwork forexchanging network packets, said computer apparatus and said remotecomputer having respective private IP addresses within saidinternetwork, said computer apparatus comprising: a call client fortransmitting information identifying said remote computer to a centralserver maintaining a database of IP addresses of registered computers,and for establishing a data call between said computer apparatus andsaid remote computer in response to said database of IP addresses; aserver application for hosting said server resources; and a clientapplication for retrieving said served resources from said serverapplication; wherein said server application is configured to exchangenetwork packets with a remote client application running on said remotecomputer in response to said database of IP addresses.
 9. The computerapparatus of claim 8 further comprising a user interface responsive to auser for launching said server application and said client applicationin order to initiate sharing of said served resources.
 10. The computerapparatus of claim 9 wherein said user interface presents said servedresources to said user.
 11. A software product for privately sharingserved resources between a resident computer and a remote computer overa computer network, the software product comprising: software configuredto transmit information identifying said remote computer to a centralserver maintaining a database of IP addresses of registered computers,running a call client for establishing a data call between said residentcomputer and said remote computer in response to said database of IPaddresses, generating a request for sharing said served resources,running a server application in said resident computer for hosting saidserved resources, and running client applications in said residentcomputer and said remote computer for retrieving said served resourcesfrom said server application simultaneously, wherein said serverapplication and said client application running in said remote computerexchange network packets in response to said IP addresses used by saidcall client; and a storage system that stores said software product. 12.The software product of claim 11 wherein said IP address used in saidcall client is reported to said server application and wherein saidserver application sends a session initiation message to said clientapplication running on said remote computer.
 13. The software product ofclaim 11 wherein said IP address used in said remote computer isreported to said client application running in said remote computer andwherein said client application running in said remote computer sends asession initiation message to said server application.
 14. The softwareproduct of claim 11 wherein said server application exchanges networkpackets with said client application running in said remote computerusing a network session already established for said data call.
 15. Thesoftware product of claim 14 wherein said call client terminatesoperation during said exchange between said server application and saidclient application running in said remote computer.
 16. The softwareproduct of claim 11 wherein said server application and said clientapplications are launched is response to a request for sharing saidserved resources.